Easy-opening container



June 3, 1969 v, w rr v 3,447,735

EASY-OPENING CONTAINER Filed July 5. 1967 INVENTOR. VARSEL EL-l WHITNEY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,447,735 EASY-OPENING CONTAINER Varsel Eli Whitney, Portland, Oreg., assignor to Western Kraft Corporation, Portland, Oreg. Filed July 3, 1967, Ser. No. 650,783 Int. Cl. B65d 17/00, /54, 5/08 US. 'Cl. 22951 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to easy-opening containers. It pertains particularly to containers of the class conventionally made from corrugated paperboard and used to contain cans, bottles or packages of beverages, foods or various supplies.

While substantial progress has been made in the corrugated container art, it nevertheless is a problem common to all of the conventional corrugated board containers that the tools and procedures employed for opening them tear and deface the labels on the inner containers. They also puncture and damage an inner containers. Furthermore, it is difficult if not impossible to reclose the outer containers neatly once they have been ripped open.

It accordingly is the general object of the present invention to provide a container, particularly .a corrugated board container, which is opened easily, without danger of damaging the contents, and which after opening may releasably be reclosed in a condition in which an access opening to the interior is provided.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the invention in its sealed condition;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views, similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the container in its open and re-closed condition, respectively;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the container in its reclosed condition, partly broken away to illustrate the area of adhesive application; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse, sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

Generally stated, the container of my invention comprises a body having an open top defined by opposite end and side walls. Underlapping and overlapping closure flaps are hinged to the walls. The underlapping flaps have their outer margins spaced from each other and the overlapping fiaps have their margins substantially meeting in the closed condition of the container.

At least one of the overlapping flaps is perforated along a pair of spaced tear lines extending outwardly from its inner edge to enable tearing out a central section. The central section is transversely scored to enable folding it upwardly to provide a tearing out handle as well as to enable folding it downwardly to form a locking key engageable with the underlapping flaps in the reclosed condition of the container.

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Considering the foregoing in greater detail, and with particular reference to the drawings:

The container of my invention may be made of any suitable container material. Preferably it is made of a single sheet of corrugated container board, suitably cut and folded.

It includes a body, indicated generally at 10, of rectangular cross section. The body consists of opposite side walls 12, and opposite end walls 14. The latter have cutaway or perforated knock out portions 16 to provide handles for use in carrying the carton.

The bottom of the container is provided in the usual manner with underlapping closure flaps 18 and overlapping closure flaps 20. The faces of these are glued together to complete a container body having an open top defined by side walls 12 and end walls 14.

It is to be noted that as used herein, the-terms top and bottom are purely relative depending upon the position of the container. Accordingly, the construction of the invention is applicable to either the top or the bottom of the container, or both, as the case may be.

To make the easy-opening container closure, the container body is provided with a pair of underlapping closure flaps 22. The inner margins of these flaps are hinged to the end walls of the body. The flaps are relatively short so that their outer margins are spaced apart from each other by a substantial distance in the closed condition of the container. This makes possible the provision of an access opening to the interior.

Underlapping flaps 22 also are provided with aligned pairs of locking slots 24. These extend inwardly from the outer margins of the flaps substantially at right angles thereto.

Cooperating with underlying flaps 22 in sealing off the open top of the container are a pair of overlapping flaps indicated generally at 25.

The inner margins of the overlapping flaps are hinged to the side walls of the container. The flaps are sutficient- 1y long so that their outer margins substantially meet when the container is closed.

The overlapping flaps are perforated along a pair of spaced tear lines 26. The tear lines extend outwardly from the inner edges of the flaps and enable tearing out a central section thereof.

The tear lines are so disposed that the central sections 27 of the overlapping flaps are formed in two parts: an outer part 28, which serves as a handle and locking key, and an inner part 30 which serves as a base. This leaves anchor sections 31 which remain glued to the underlying flaps even in the closed condition of the container.

Tear lines 26 extend substantially normal to the outer margins of the flaps for a predetermined distance and then diverge angularly toward the corners of the container. At the juncture of the two tear line segments, there is provided a scoring 32 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and further defining handle and locking key parts 28. It is to be noted that the latter parts overlie locking slots 24 in underlying flaps 22 with which they cooperate.

In the manufacture of the container, any of the usual adhesives are employed for gluing together bottom flaps 18 and 20 and upper flaps 22, 25. However, in gluing together the upper flaps, the adhesive is applied in the manner shown in FIG. 4.

Thus it is applied in a restricted area 34 which provides an adhesive interface determined in general by extensions of the lines defining locking slots 24 to the respective ends of the container, but not including the area between the locking slots. The adhesive thus is applied in areas which tack down anchor sections 31 only of the overlafpping flaps, without gluing down sections 28, 30 there- 0 The manner of use of the container of my invention is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

First, the container is assembled, filled and sealed to the condition shown in FIG. 1. When it is desired to open the container, the fingers of the operator are inserted between the meeting edges of overlapping flaps 25, centrally thereof. Pulling back first on one and then on the other of these two flaps tears them along perforated lines 26 so that the central sections may be lifted, as shown in FIG. 2. This is relatively easy, since the central sections are not glued down. It is rendered particularly easy by bending outer parts 28 of the lifted central sections along score lines 32 to form handles.

Opening the central sections of the flaps in this manner exposes an access opening to the interior of the container, defined by side Walls 12 and the outer margins of underlying flaps 22. As noted previously, the latter are of relatively short extent and are separated by a substantial space.

After removal of the desired number of content units from the container, parts 28 of central sections 27 of the overlapping flaps may be bent downwardly along score lines 32. This projects locking keys which may be inserted into slots 24 in the underlying flaps, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Frictional engagement maintains the flaps in this reclosed position, there still being a central opening afiording access to the interior of the container.

Thus by the present invention I have provided a simple container easily fabricated by conventional container making machinery. The container is easily opened without damaging its contents. Furthermore, after opening, it may be reclosed by releasably interlocking the overlying and underlying closure flaps in such a position that restricted access still is afforded to the interior.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An easy opening container comprising (a) a container body of rectangular cross section having an open top defined by opposite end and side walls,

(b) a pair of underlapping flaps having their inner margins hinged to the end walls of the body with their outer margins substantially spaced from each other in the closed position of the flaps, and

(c) a pair of overlapping closure flaps of foldable container material having their inner margins hinged to the side walls of the body with their outer margins substantially meeting in the closed position of the flaps,

(d) the underlapping and overlapping flaps being glueable in lapped relation to close the open top of the body,

(e) at least one of the overlapping flaps being perforated along a pair of spaced tear lines extending outwardly from its inner edge to enable tearing out a central section and afford access to the interior of the container through the access opening between the underlapping flaps,

(f) each tear line including a first segment extending outwardly from the inner edge substantially normal thereto and a continuing second segment extending angularly outward to the hinged margin of the flap,

(g) the flap being provided with a score line interconnecting the points of juncture between the first and second tear line segments to provide a flap foldable outwardly to form a handle flap for assisting in tearing out the central section and foldable inwardly to form a locking flap,

(h) the underlapping flaps being provided with slots spaced laterally outward from the line of meeting of the outer margins of the overlapping closure flaps and registering with the locking flap in its folded down position for releasable locking engagement therewith, whereby to provide an access opening into the container in the locked condition of said locking flap.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein both overlapping closure flaps have said score lines and both underlapping flaps have said slots, whereby to provide a central access opening into the container traversing the line of meeting of the outer margins of the overlapping closure flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,151,202 3/1939 Guyer. 2,162,556 6/1939 Legaard. 2,219,560 10/1940 Maurin. 2,287,520 6/1942 Freshwaters. 2,596,261 5/1952 Liskin 229-38 XR 2,753,104 7/1956 Wagner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

